You can test him and the truth of what
I say by telling him now that I heard all."
"Suppose he doesn't care what you have heard," said Mrs. Barker sharply.
"Suppose he says nobody would believe you, if 'telling' is your game.
Suppose he is a friend of my husband and he thinks him a much better
guardian of my reputation than a woman like you. Suppose he should be
the first one to tell my husband of the foul slander invented by you!"
For an instant Mrs. Horncastle was taken aback by the audacity of the
woman before her. She knew the simple confidence and boyish trust of
Barker in his wife in spite of their sometimes strained relations, and
she knew how difficult it would be to shake it. And she had no idea of
betraying Mrs. Barker's secret to him, though she had made this scene
in his interest. She had wished to save Mrs. Barker from a compromising
situation, even if there was a certain vindictiveness in her exposing
her to herself. Yet she knew it was quite possible now, if Mrs. Barker
had immediate access to her husband, that she would convince him of her
perfect innocence. Nevertheless, she had still great confidence in Van
Loo's fear of scandal and his utter unmanliness. She knew he was not
in love with Mrs. Barker, and this puzzled her when she considered the
evident risk he was running now. Her face, however, betrayed nothing.
She drew back from Mrs.
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